Chapter 3: Training

Chapter 3: Training

Three days passed since Rui fainted. His eyes began to open slowly, but he felt something rubbery pressing against his face.

'Huh? What is this?'

He tried to move, but his body still felt weak. After a few seconds, his consciousness was fully restored, and he realized something on his face was being crushed by something soft and warm.

Rui froze instantly.

Slowly, he lifted his gaze and saw Luna Mei asleep hugging herself, 'Wait, don't tell me this...'

"...Luna Mei," he murmured, his voice slightly hoarse.

The girl mumbled something in her sleep and moved slightly, making Rui panic even more.

'Damn, why do I have to be between her breasts anyway?!'

But all Rui felt was Mei's hug getting tighter. "Ehehehe... I... I'm going to eat you... Haaaapp!"

Rui opened his eyes wide, it was true that he was immersed in Mei's chest, but what was more worrying was that his head was about to be devoured by the girl.

"Ugh! Get up!" Rui tried to push her up, but his body was still weak after three days of unconsciousness.

Mei mumbled in her sleep, "Grilled meat... delicious..." and then bit Rui's head lightly.

"AAKH! YOU CRAZY WOMAN!"

Rui finally managed to push her off a little, but Mei grumbled in her sleep and pulled him back into her arms.

'I'd rather die at the hands of an assassin than like this...' Rui thought desperately.

A few hours later, Mei began to stir quietly, her closed eyelids slowly opening. She let out a small yawn, stretching her body like a cat that had just woken up.

"Hmm... nice morning..." she muttered as she rubbed her eyes.

However, once her consciousness was fully restored, she noticed something warm and slightly moving in her cleavage. Mei looked down and saw Rui who was trapped in her arms, the boy's face looking upset and exhausted.

They looked at each other for a few seconds. Rui was still staring at Mei with his annoyed gaze.

Mei blinked a few times before finally smiling awkwardly. "Good morning, my little Rui!" she said in a cheerful tone, as if nothing had happened.

Rui, who had been trying hard to stay sane, could only let out a long sigh. "Don't 'good morning' me! You almost ate my head earlier!"

Mei was silent for a moment, then chuckled. "Hahaha... what a dream~" She hugged Rui back, and buried him into her cleavage again.

"Hmph!!!" Rui was surprised as he got an 'attack' from that girl. 'This girl is crazy...' 

...

A while later

Rui was currently alone, more precisely he was alone and sitting on a rock, Mei did not know that Rui was in a place some distance from the village. 

Rui sat cross-legged on a large rock, eyes closed, his breathing regular. The air around him felt slightly trembling as he slowly absorbed the natural energy into his body. The flow of Qi moved along his meridians, warming his body from within.

Three days had passed since the incident. Ever since he realized how weak he was. 

He tried to calm his mind and refocus on his cultivation. The qi inside his body continued to flow, yet it still felt too weak. He could feel it, how slow and unstable his Qi flow was. When compared to the strength he had in his previous life, it was like the difference between heaven and earth.

'I need more time... but time is a luxury I can't have.'

He clenched his hands into fists, feeling the energy that was still so weak inside him.

"I'm still in the Mortal Realm class, Qi Novice. This is not enough!"

As he concentrated on her meditation, he felt the Qi around him, the energy began to enter his body little by little.

A blue aura began to emanate from the five-year-old boy's body, if anyone saw it they would call him a genius. 

Even though he was the reincarnation of a Great Emperor. 

Rui continued to concentrate, sweat began to soak his face and body. A while later, "I think that's enough for today." Rui smelled the scent of his body. "Ugh! Better go to the river!"

Rui jumped down from the rock where he was meditating and stretched his body. Today's training was quite draining, and he could feel his clothes starting to get sticky with sweat.

"I need a shower," he muttered as he sniffed himself, his face grimacing slightly as he smelled his body's scent.

Without waiting any longer, he immediately ran towards the nearest river. The sound of gurgling water began to ring in his ears, bringing a sense of freshness before he even had a chance to touch it. Rui immediately took off his clothes and plunged into the clear water.

"Ahhh... This is better!"

The cool water washed over his body, removing the sticky feeling and refreshing his mind. While soaking, Rui enjoyed the calm sensation that he had rarely been able to feel since his previous life.

He let out a long breath, letting his body float for a moment. "Living like this... maybe it's not so bad."

After a while, Rui dived for a while, then climbed back up to the surface, washing his face. When he had enough, he swam to the shore and then put his clothes back on. 

Rui did not return immediately, he sat on the riverbank and looked at his reflection, his face pensive for a moment. 

"I became someone else... How is the Empire doing now?"

He sighed and sat on the riverbank. His eyes staring straight ahead, he daydreamed in regret over the betrayal of the seventh Prince, and then his subordinates. 

Well, perhaps this was her punishment. The punishment for having too much faith in the people he should have suspected in the first place.

Rui took the river water with both hands, letting the cold water drip slowly between his fingers. "I won't do it again..." he muttered softly.

He looked at his reflection once more. Although he became a five-year-old child, the look in his eyes signaled that he was an emperor who had been through wars and betrayals. 

That would never change.

"I will become stronger. If I have to start over, then I will make sure everything goes my way this time."

With determination burning in his heart, Rui got up from his seat and started walking back to the village.

Rui felt the wind hitting him as he stepped into the village where he lived, and the leaves started to fall right away. That afternoon made him calm.

Rui clenched his hands into fists, he gave him a sharp look and continued to walk to the village. No more being weak, no more being careless. 

"I will continue to train until I become strong, and take my throne out of that bastard's hands!"

He smiled as he reached the village, he would not repeat his dark history as Long Zhi, he would have a bright future as Long Rui, the new Great Dragon Emperor. 

Although there would be many obstacles later. "Haaah, I'm lazy to jump through hoops to become emperor again." 

The smile that had been on his lips disappeared instantly when he remembered how many obstacles he would have to overcome after this, especially when his face became sullen when he saw Mei waving her arms vigorously while shouting.

"RUUUUIIIIII!!! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!!!"

Rui let out a long breath. Earlier he had vowed to become stronger.

Without being able to resist, within seconds, he was already trapped in Mei's tight embrace. Rui's face was pressed against Mei's chest—not out of desire, but out of pure frustration. His expression was nothing but a deep frown.

Surrendering was his only option.

"Hey, Mei, he's going to suffocate if you squeeze him like that," said an elderly woman, laughing at the scene.

Mei immediately let go, watching as Rui coughed lightly and wiped his face with an annoyed expression.

"Ehehe, sorry, Rui!" Mei giggled, though she didn't seem sorry at all.

The old woman continued to chuckle. "You two are always like this. Mei, you need to be gentler with that child."

"I am gentle!" Mei crossed her arms proudly.

Rui merely let out a small snort before looking around. Some villagers watched them with amused smiles, while children playing nearby began whispering among themselves.

"Rui is really strong! He can survive Sister Mei's hug!"

"But he always looks annoyed, doesn't he?"

Hearing that, Rui could only let out a long sigh. "Haaah… I need some rest."

A middle-aged man carrying firewood approached them.

"Young man, you always just give in whenever Mei drags you around."

Rui simply shrugged. "I've gotten used to it."

Mei, however, grinned. "So that means I can hug you anytime I want, right?"

"No," Rui replied immediately, making the villagers laugh.

A woman who was cleaning wheat in front of her house turned toward them. "By the way, Rui, where have you been?"

Rui paused for a moment before replying, "Just went for a little walk."

Several adults exchanged glances, and one of them—a white-bearded old man—offered something to them. "In that case, you must be tired. Have something to eat before you rest."

Mei instantly wrapped her arm around Rui excitedly. "Let's eat! I bet your stomach is empty!"

Rui let out another deep sigh. "I need some rest…"

But in the end, he still followed them into the village center, where the warm aroma of food had already begun to fill the air.

End of chapter.